The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-04-17
A son or WASHINGTON.
THE SECRET OF GEN. THOMAS
POSBY'S PARENTAGE.
His striklBg Resemblance to the
Father OF His Country-A Dis
tingSishea Career.

IT. LOUIS, no, April To- ne
Globe Democrat says that in the
cemetery at Shawneetown, ILL.,, there
is pointed out tomb, with the ex.
PLANTATION shat beneath is buried
t'the son OF George Washington"
, "But WASHINGTON had no chill
dren." the incredulous visitor ar
CUES. "Hs was the father of his
country, and that was the extent OF
his paternity"
The Shawneetownsman repeats has
assertion, and stoutly stands by it.
He refers to the oldest and most re-
epected Inhabitants Of the once
proul metropolis of the Ohio Valley
to back him up. If the visitor is Of
an inquiring turn OF mind he will
soon find that all Shawneetown be-
lieves this tradition, and those who
have lived in the ancient city longest
have tne strongest faith. They got
the story from their parents who
lived in Sbawneetown before them,
and there has never been any doubt
about the truth Of it.
rHR TRADITION.
Some of the oldest and most esti
nable citiSsns OF Shswneetown were
talked with in regard to this tradl-
ton of the parentage Of Gen. Posey.
They had heard it as far back as they
could remember, and with such pos.
itiveness that they looked upon it as
veracious, although unwritten, his
tory. There was no question, they
said, but that those who lived In
Shawneetown when Posey did re-
garded him as the son OF Washing
ton. One fact in the way OF cOrrob-
orative testimony was the striking
resemblance in form and feature.
The resemblance was transmitted to
the sons OF Gen. Posey, and added
to the strength Of the tradition.
While the relationship was mat
ter of common information in early
times, il was not matter OF public
talk. There were occasional refer
ences 10 it about the Preside, but it
was one Of those peculiar facts which
people treat as TO be understood
rather than TO be discussed. Tie ex-
plauation for this is that the Poseys
we're proud, dignifed men, and
aevcr referred to the subject them
selves.
TIE FAMILY DOCTORS TESTIMONY.
The oldest physician in Shawnee
town, who in his youth was the
family dsetor Of the Poseys and who
attended enc Of the sons Of the Cen
eral at his death, said to the writer
that he had heard the story when he
came to Shawncetown TO settle. lie
was fresh frsm the completion OF
his medical studies and was just be-
ginning 70 practice. That was some
time after Gen. Posoy's death. This
physicians professional relations
with she family gave him opportuni-
ties to satisfy his curiosity and he
improved them. Said he: There
Is no deubt in my mind that Gen.
Pesey was tho son of George Wash
ington, His family so understood it,
and received my impression from
the ladies of the family, They were
rather reluctant TO speak Of the sub
ject, AZ il seemed to be the under.
standing among them that it should
not be talked about. When they tolC
me what they did they cautioned me
against referring to it in the pres
enee Of the sons of Gen. Posey, s,
far az | know the men folks never
referred to the matter in any wa!
whatever. The resemblance OF thu
son, whom | attended on his deatt
bed, TO the pictures we have o.
Washington, was certainly very re.
markable. He had the same high
forehead and prominent features"
To tho inquiry whether he hat
ever seen or heard Of anything o
documentary character going to show
the relationship between Washing
ton and Posey, the old physician re
piled that he Aaa not. From wha
he had seen aud known about th,
Posey family, he believed they woul,
not have permitted such evidence I,
continue long in existence. The!
were proud, sensitive people, an'
preferred TO ignore the Relationship
il il existed.
Recently this story, as told il
Shawneetown, was briefly related t
Mr.. Ainsworth r. Spofford, who 10
many years has had charge OF tn
Congressional Library in Washing
ton. Mr.. Spotford is the intimat
friend of Bancroft, aud probably ha
read and heard more about Wash
ingtou than has any other living ma
except the historian.
Have they anything but traditio
to base it upon2" asked Mr.. Spoifor
when he had listened to the story.
The narrator was bound TO say tbs
it was all tradition 50 far as Shawnee
town folks we're concerned,
Then Mr.. Spofford, whose mind
the best catalogue OF that vast col
lection OF books and periodicals an
publications OF every sort, undertoo
10 furnish what the literature OF tn
country has preserved regarding Gei
Thomas Posey. Rather strange I
say, the general histories'and bios
raphies make but very meager refer
ences to him. They show that !
possessed all the epitaph claims f
him as official honors. He led III
charge at Stony Point. He was
brigadisr general in the army. II
was Lieutenant Governor Of Ker
lucky. He sat in the United Stat,
Senate from Louisiana in 1912, an
he was Cove nor of Indiana TER
tory from 1918 to 1916. The ear
histories and biographies mentio
these facts briefly. Later publicj
tons repeat them, and there histol
stops. This is all that is handle
down to a grateful republic about
msu Of such prominence in its ear
development
PROFITABLE SUGGESTION.
1T is possible there may be som,
thing in The Port Folio, suggeste
Mr.. Spofford, as he went alter ii
index and ran his eyes down the M
OPS. Probably nobody but a wall
ing encyclopedia would have though